Self-threading motion picture apparatus



Sept. 20, 1932. H. c. WELLMAN 1,878,215

SELF THREADING MOTION PICTURE APPARATUS Original Filed bee. 4', 1925 2Sheets-Sheet 1 Sept. 20,1932. g, WELLMAN 1,878,215

SELF THREADING MOTQON PICTURE APPARATUS original iiled Dec. 4, 1925 2Sheets-Sheet 2 PI E HowarcZGWZlmam ATTORNEYS.

IN V EN TOR.

driven dis a of apparatus Patented Sept. 20, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT?OFFICE HOWARD O. WELLHAN, OI ROCHESTER, NEW YORK, ASS IGNOR TO EASTMANKODAK COM- PANY, OI ROCHESTER, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION 01 NEW YORKSEm-TEBEADING MOTION IPICTUIRE APPARATUS Application filed December 4,1926, Serial No. 78,121. -Re11ewed December 2, 1931.

This invention relates to motion picture apparatus and particularly tosuch apparatus in which there is provision for the automatic threadingof the film. More speciallyrit relates to an im rovement applied to thetype isclosed in United States Patent 0. 1,745,874, granted Feb. 4, 1930to Adolph Stuber and Ernest E. Underwood.

In this type of self-threading apparatus, a tunnel-like channel isprovided through the machine so that, when the end of the film 1sintroduced into one end, it will be gulded automatically therethrough.The several portions of the tunnel comprise separable members, and theobject of my invention is to supply crating means insuring that all ofthese wil be operated simultaneously. Other objects and advantages willappear in the following description wherein reference 1s made to theaccompanying drawings, in which the same reference characters designatethe same parts throughout.

Fig. 1 is a side view of aprojector embodyin my invention;

Tig. 2 is a side view of a portion thereof on a larger scal'e'showingcertain operating connections in dotted lines andthe guide membersclosed; I

Fig. 3 is a similar, view with the guides open and the cover largelybroken away;

4 Fig. 4 is a section on line-44of. Fig. 3;

Fig, 5 is a fragmentary section showing the guides in closed position.

The apparatus,'in the'form shown, comprises a solid standard or frame 1havmga heavy base or support 2 and longitudinal wall 3. On'the rear arepivoted at 4 and 5 arms 6 and 7 supporting reels 8 and 9 respectively,there being for the latter a rewind mechanism 10. v

The partition carries a cylindrical casing 11 on one side about whichthe film F is looped, being propelled continuously from reel 9 and toreel 8 by spfocket12 and being advanced intermittently y claw 13 on arm14 ivoted at the other end 15 to a 16 intergearin with disk 19 to whichis pivoted at 20 a lin 21 which is also pivoted at 22 to arm 14. Thefront part of the casing 11 consists of a sheet metal 'arcuwhich is ateplate or member 18', the ends of which are supported on pins 23 and therear por tion of which is a solid arcuate boxing 34. The casing has acover 17 removably held in place by keyhole slots 36 engaging with endsof pins 23 which are shaped to form suitable buttons for this purpose. 1The objective is carried bythe usual mount 25 supported on plate 26pivoted on stud 33 and held in place by a latch pin 24.

A presser member 27 for the film has an arcuate surface 28 adapted tofit against the side of the casing 11 and form with it a guide for thefilm as it passes the projection windows at 29 and 30 in these members.At its upper end, this presser member has an inclined arm 31 with a slot32 having slidable engagement with pin 33 carried by wall 3. The end 35of a spring coiled around pin 33 contacts the presser member and pressesit toward the casing. The lower end of the presser member 27 ,has aninclined end 38. When I refer to the gate, I mean that portion of,themembers by which the film is held in position at and guided past theexposure window.

Near sprocket 12am two t'runnions 39 on which are pivoted two members 40which are spring pressed toward the sprocket. Fixed guide members 42extend between the flanges to the casing 11. Pivoted on the sametrunnions are two symmetrically arran ed guide A 17 by means of stubshaft 57 and having an;

operatin handle 58 which when turned to the positlon marked open andclosed on the cover 17 will move the members 43 and 44 to such positionswith respect to the easing 11. The disk 56 carries an extension 52 whichhas a pimple and dimple engagement with the under side of cover17 at thelimits of its movement, as indicated at 53 in Fig.2, and serves toyieldingly latch the parts in their two ositions. The cover 17 with thehandle an dinks may thus be lifted from the casing 11 and the guides.

When the handle is turned to closed position, members 43 and 44 aremoved toward the casing, their ends 49 and 50 engage the inclined ends31 and 38 and force the presser member, against spring 35, to slide onpin 33 by reason of slot 32. The protuberances 61 assist in this cammingaction. The single handle therefore controls all three movable guidemembers 27, 43 and 44 in their movements in both directions.

When a perforated film is introduced between upper guides 40 and 42, itwill be engaged by teeth of sprocket 12 and be guided into the openchannel provided between member 43 and casing 11. It will automaticallyfollow member 43 around and will pass beneath member 27 and thence undermember 44 and out past sprocket 12 between lower guides40 and 42.

The casing 11 and guide members 43, 44

' and 27 are formed with ledges 65 at their edges which contact only theborder of the film, the particular structure at the gate bein shown insection in Fig. 4.

It is to be understood that the above disclosure is by way of exampleand that I contemplate as included in my invention all suchmodifications and equivalents as properly fall within the scope of theappended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure byLetters Patent is:

1. In a motion picture apparatus, a film gate, a sprocket for feedingfilm toward and from said gate, loop forming guides for directing filmfrom the sprocket to the gate and from the gate to the sprocket, each ofsaid guides being movable and having an operative position and aninoperative position for such purpose, and a unitary control for movingthe guides simultaneously from inoperative to operative position. I

2. In a motion picture apparatus, a film gate com rising a fixed memberand a movable mem r, movable film guides having extended guidingsurfaces for directing the lead end of a propelled film to and from saidgate, each guide having an operative position and an inoperativeposition for such purpose, and adapted in their movement frominoperative to operative position to move said movable gate member awayfrom the fixed gate member to form a channel therebetween, links pivotedto said film guides and a common operating means to move said links andthus move the film guides simultaneously.

3. In a motion picture apparatus, a guide by which the lead end of afilm may be introduced into the apparatus, a movable second guide towhich the lead end of such a film so introduced will when propelled beautomatically directed, a gate, the second guide having a positionwhereat it automatically directs the lead end of a propelled film to thegate and having a position whereat it is inoperative for such purpose,the gate comprising relatively movable members having one relationwherein they constitute an open guide, through which the lead end of apropelled film introduced from the first guide will be automaticallythreaded and having a second relation where they are inoperative or suchpurpose, a movable third guide having a position whereat itautomatically directs the lead end of a propelled film from the gate toan exit guide and forms a loop of proper size therein and having asecond ositlon wherein it is inoperative for such directing andloop-forming purposes, an exit guide adapted to direct the lead end of apropelled film from the third guide out of the machine, and a unitarcontrol for operating said movable mem ers simultaneously frominoperative to operative positions.

4. In a motion picture apparatus, a film gate, a guide having anextended guiding surface for directing automatically'into and throughthe gate from one end thereof the I lead end of a film pro elled endwisetoward the gate, a second gui e having an extended guiding surface fordirecting awa from said gate the lead end of a film propel ed endwisethrough and from the gate, the guides being movable and having positionsat which they are respectively operative and inoperative for suchpurpose and a unitary control ositively connected to both guides to move0th positively and simultaneously from inopera- I tive to operativeposition.

5. In a motion picture a paratus, a film gate having separable mem erswhich when separated constitute a guide for threading the lead end of afilm propelled endwise, movable guide members having extended guidingsurfaces for directing to and from the gate the lead end of a filmpropelled endwise and for forming loops in such film above and below thegate and having positions where they are respectively operative andinoperative for such purposes, and a unitary control for moving all suchmovable members simultaneously from their said inoperative positions tothe pfisitions where they are operative for the specified purposes.

6. In a motion picture apparatus, a film gate, means for propelling afilm endwise to said gate, a guide in. the path of movement of a film sopropelled and having an extended guiding surface for directing the leadend of such a propelled film into the gate, a second guide having anextended guiding surface in the path of movement of a film propelledendwise through the gate for directing it in a loop through theapparatus, the said guides being movable and each having an operativeand an inoperative position for the purposes set forth and positiveconnections between the guides whereby both are positively andsimultaneously moved from either position to the other.

7. In a motion picture apparatus, a film 5 gate, ides having extendeguiding surfaces or directing to and from said gate the lead end of afilm propelled endwise and for forming loops in such film above andbelow said gate, said guides being movable and havm ing operative andinoperative positions for such purposes and positive connections betweenthe movable guides whereby both are simultaneously moved from eitherposition to the other.

8. In a motion picture apparatus, a film gate, ides having extendedguiding surfaces or directing to and from said gate the lead end of afilm propelled endwise and for forming loops in such film above andbelow said gate, said guides being movable and hav ing operative andinoperative positions for such purposes and positive connections betweenthe movable guides whereby both are simultaneously moved from. eitherposition to the other and latch means for holding them in eitherposition.

9. In a motion picture apparatus, a film gate, means for propelling afilm endwise toward said gate, guides having extended guiding surfacesfor directing to and from said gate the lead end of a film so propelled,said guides being movable and having operative and inoperative positionsfor such purposes and positive connections between said guides wherebyboth are positively and simultaneously moved from elther position to theother.

10. In a motion picture apparatus of the type adapted for endwiseautomatic threading of the film, a delivery sprocket, an exposure atecom rising a fixed member and a mova le meml er spring pressed againstthe fixed member, a fixed convex guide between the sprocket and the gateand a concave guide cooperating therewith to guide the lead end of afilm propelled by the sprocket automatically into the gate and to form aloop in such film and movable between two positions at which it isrespectively operative and inoperative for such purposes, and anoperating handle for such movable concave guide remote therefrom andconnected thereto whereby the concave guide may be moved between itsoperative and inoperative positions and means simultaneously operativeto adjust the 1 gate for the automatic endwise threading'of the filmtherethrough as it is delivered thereto from the ide.

Signed at Roc ester, New York, this 30th 00 day of November, 1925.

HOWARD C. WELLMAN.

